The Malaya Daily

Mas Sabu arrives at Masjid Negara

2012-04-28T11:52:00.001+08:00

10.55am: Masjid Negara - PAS deputy chief Mohamad Sabu arrives at Masjid Negara and he is given a hero's welcome by the crowd. Video by Tan Jiun Wuu

Bersih 3.0: Rally supporters arriving KL

2012-04-28T11:03:00.003+08:00

Closed roads leading into Dataran Merdeka have not deterred rally supporters as they begin to trickle into the city by foot and the LRT.

Nurul Izzah: Let us change the country together

2012-04-18T22:49:00.002+08:00

Nurul Izzah's arrival was met with a particular fanfare - loud shouts of"reformasi" - which she later echoed during her speech.

Umno Member - Don't Let BN Pawn Our Country

2012-04-18T22:47:00.004+08:00

A pre-Bersih 3.0 rally last night raised eyebrows when Tamrin Abdul Ghafar, son of former deputy prime minister Abdul Ghafar Baba, made his debut by urging the crowd to throw their support behind the April 28 sit-in protest to demand clean and fair elections.

London 2012 '100 Days to Go': Olympics people in numbers

2012-04-18T22:43:00.003+08:00

Athletes take a starring role at the Olympic Games, but with 100 days to go until London 2012, we take a look at who else makes up the cast of thousands behind the sporting event of the year.

Gatwick flights suspended after Virgin Atlantic plane makes emergency landing

2012-04-16T22:25:00.004+08:00

A Virgin Atlantic plane is stuck on the runway at Gatwick after experiencing a "technical difficulty" shortly after takeoff. Report by Adam Sich.

Norway mass killer trial begins

2012-04-16T22:23:00.002+08:00

Anders Behring Breivik goes on trial for killing 77 people last July, but he pleads not guilty and says he acted in self-defence. Al Jazeera's Joanh Hull is at the trial.

Facebook Timeline Tyranny

2012-04-16T22:22:00.000+08:00

If you haven't been timelined yet, you eventually will be! Why can't Facebook let its users choose their page layout? Why is Timeline enforced on hundreds of millions of users? What is Timeline -- a perfect way to present one's biography or a way to get to know the dirty laundry of someone who hasn't cleaned his/her page yet? Does Facebook violate people's privacy, and should anyone who chooses to register on the website put up with any Facebook's initiative? CT-ing with Roman Karachinsky, Anita Ramasastry and Terry Carney.

Punjabi classes in schools?

2012-04-15T08:13:00.004+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR: THE government is prepared to consider the teaching of Punjabi language in schools if there is a request for it and there are enough students for the lesson, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin, who is also the education minister, said if this was carried out, it would enable young Sikhs to master their mother tongue, while others, too, could learn the Punjabi language, in line with the 1Malaysia spirit.

"It is important for all of us to learn about other people in this country, because this will bind us together," he said at the Vaisakhi open house at Gurdwara Sahib Sentul here yesterday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin making capati during the Vaisakhi open house at Gurdwara Sahib Sentul in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Bernama pic

Bernama reports that Muhyiddin spent an hour mingling with the more than 200 people at the open house.

Present were Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin and Gurdwara Sahib Sentul president Gurdiall Singh.

Muhyiddin announced a RM500,000 allocation for the gudwara, which is more than 100 years old.

He said although the Sikh population in the country was small, the community played an important role in the country's social and community development.

"There are 250,000 Sikhs in this country. The small number does not mean they don't play an important role in Malaysia's development.

"We don't care about the number. What is important is that Sikhs contributed to the development of the country. We want them to continue this role for many more years."

He said it was important for Malaysians to be united and live in peace and harmony so that the aspiration of 1Malaysia was achieved, which would turn Malaysia into a developed nation by 2020.

In his Vaisakhi message, he said Ma-laysians must learn about Sikhs' culture and celebrations to promote understanding and interfaith unity.

He said only through understanding the culture of others could people learn respect and strengthen the ties between people of different races and religions.

"It is a Malaysian practice to use celebrations to appreciate each other and to strengthen our national integrity.

"Today, Sikhs will celebrate Vaisakhi, another celebration that represents our multicultural society."

He said Sikhs were recognised as part of the country's pluralistic society and had always been appreciated and respected.

"I have always been fascinated with the uniqueness of Vaisakhi, which symbolises Sikh values and culture.

"The celebration to commemorate the foundation of Khalsa Panth by the 10th Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, in 1699 is truly an event of great importance to Sikhs."

He added that the annual celebration would be an exciting event not only for Sikhs, but also for all Malaysians.

More importantly, he said, Vaisakhi was a time to strengthen comradeship among Sikhs.

"Let us appreciate and live prosperously in our peaceful and harmonious country.

"My wife and I would like to wish Happy Vaisakhi to all Sikhs in Malaysia."

Read more: Punjabi classes in schools? - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/punjabi-classes-in-schools-1.73787#ixzz1s3zElQYJ

Unrealistic to expect Iran to stop uranium enrichment

2012-04-15T08:10:00.001+08:00

Six major world powers and Iran are holding talks in Turkey about ways to remove suspicion that Tehran's nuclear programme has a military dimension. Discussions have resumed after a 15-month break with the previous round ending in stalemate.

Tehran has recently increased uranium enrichment amid fears it could be seeking a nuclear weapon. RT's Anissa Naouai discusses this with Kian Mokhtari, a columnist and commentator in Tehran.

Sinking of the Titanic: A look back at the great ship

2012-04-15T08:05:00.003+08:00

As the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking nears, the world prepares to remember one of the most devastating maritime disasters in history.

Two MRT packages to be announced soon

2012-04-15T08:01:00.006+08:00

SUNGAI BULOH: Two construction packages for a viaduct guideway under the nation's biggest infrastructure project, the Klang Valley My Rapid Transit (KVMRT), are expected to be announced soon.

The two viaduct guideway construction packages are V1, from Sungai Buloh to Kota Damansara, and V4, from Section 16 to Semantan portal.

Adil Putra: The remaining construction packages for viaduct guideways under tendering process.

V1 is under the bumiputra category where eight companies have been pre-qualified and V4 is under the open category that saw 11 pre-qualified companies .

A viaduct guideway is an elevated guideway structure where the tracks of the MRT trains will be located in.

There are eight of these packages, each averaging RM500mil.

To date two of these eight packages have been awarded - V5 that saw IJM Construction as the main contractor for works worth RM974mil, and V6 to Ahmad Zaki Resources Bhd for a contract worth RM764mil.

“The remaining construction packages for viaduct guideways are under the tendering process or waiting to call for tenders,” Adil Putra Ahmad, the general manager of project delivery partner (PDP) MMC-Gamuda Sdn Bhd, told reporters at the company's safety, health and environment (SHE) display centre briefing here yesterday.

The PDP has created a SHE display centre at the MRT Sungai Buloh construction site.

The first SHE display centre in Malaysia has decided to display the display centre as part of its initiative to raise the safety, health and environment standards in the KVMRT to a higher level than the normal practice in the general infrastructure construction industry in Malaysia.

The main objective of establishing the SHE display centre, which was built at a cost of RM1mil, is to provide a clearer understanding via real illustration of SHE components during induction training to senior management, consultants, sub-contractors and workers involved in the construction of the KVMRT.

Over 26 items and components are shown at the SHE display centre, illustrating the proper safety procedures that must be adhered to during construction.

SHE trainings in Malaysia are frequently conducted through presentation slides with pictures and diagrams.

MMC-Gamuda safety and health manager S.Vasudevan said via this new SHE requirement, contractors for the KVMRT projects had to allocate about 3% to 5% from their total contract value for the improved safety, health and environment measures.

As a PDP, MMC-Gamuda has the responsibility to deliver the Sungai Buloh-Kajang MRT line within the agreed key performance indicators of target cost and set completion date.

The PDP concept enables the MRT project to be rolled out efficiently in phases as opposed to appointing a turnkey contractor under a design-and-build model.

News source: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/14/business/11104079&sec=business

Iran ready to take extra steps

2012-04-15T07:59:00.002+08:00

A political analyst says Iran will take extra steps over its nuclear energy program if the Western powers shift their position, Press TV reports. "If they recognize Iran's rights, then obviously the Iranians will change their attitude and work and develop ways in which the greatest trust can be developed," professor of Tehran University Mohammad Marandi said in an exclusive interview with Press TV. He also criticized the West for adopting harsh policies against the Islamic Republic.

New dinosaur 'proves' evolution into birds

2012-04-12T21:13:00.001+08:00

A dinosaur discovered in Patagonia has been called the 'missing link' between the ancient creatures and modern birds. Report by Sam Datta-Paulin.

Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS

2012-04-12T20:58:00.005+08:00

Time lapse sequences of photographs taken with a special low-light 4K-camera by the crew of expedition 28 & 29 onboard the International Space Station from August to October, 2011. All credit goes to them.

HD, refurbished, smoothed, retimed, denoised, deflickered, cut, etc.

Shooting locations in order of appearance:

1. Aurora Borealis Pass over the United States at Night
2. Aurora Borealis and eastern United States at Night
3. Aurora Australis from Madagascar to southwest of Australia
4. Aurora Australis south of Australia
5. Northwest coast of United States to Central South America at Night
6. Aurora Australis from the Southern to the Northern Pacific Ocean
7. Halfway around the World
8. Night Pass over Central Africa and the Middle East
9. Evening Pass over the Sahara Desert and the Middle East
10. Pass over Canada and Central United States at Night
11. Pass over Southern California to Hudson Bay
12. Islands in the Philippine Sea at Night
13. Pass over Eastern Asia to Philippine Sea and Guam
14. Views of the Mideast at Night
15. Night Pass over Mediterranean Sea
16. Aurora Borealis and the United States at Night
17. Aurora Australis over Indian Ocean
18. Eastern Europe to Southeastern Asia at Night

Image Courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory,
NASA Johnson Space Center, The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov

IGNORE (additional tags):
Hudson Bay Sahara Desert Awesome Canada FTW!

Court rejects judicial review bid by Gebeng residents

2012-04-12T20:55:00.002+08:00

The Kuala Lumpur High Court has rejected the leave application for a judicial review against the Atomic Energy Licensing Board's (AELB) approval of a temporary operating licence to Lynas Corporation to operate a rare earth refinery.

The application filed by 10 residents from Gebeng, Kuantan, where the refinery is located, was declared "premature" on three peculiar facts and circumstances issued by Justice Rohana Yusof. The judge pointed out that the court is not the right platform to deal with the judicial review as there is an appeal pending before the Science, Technology and Innovation Minister that is set to be heard on April 17.

Questions in China over Briton murder probe

2012-04-12T20:53:00.002+08:00

His death has placed British businessman Neil Heywood at the heart of a Chinese political scandal with the wife of a senior politician named as a suspect in his murder. British businessman Neil Heywood's death in China last year has placed him posthumously at the centre of a Chinese political scandal after the wife of a disgraced politician was named as a suspect in a murder investigation into his possible killing.

Al Jazeera's Paul Brennan reports from London on what led Heywood to China and how he became embroiled in an investigation that some say has destroyed the reputation of Bo Xilai, a man once tipped as a future leaderof the People's Republic.

Panama: Village of the damned

2012-04-12T20:50:00.002+08:00

Panama's government says huge new hydroelectric dam projects are vital for economic growth. Big business is cashing in, but for the indigenous Ngabe people - whose homes are vanishing under water - it is a catastrophe. Now they are fighting back.

RPK : ' Why I went mainstream '

2012-02-01T15:31:00.002+08:00

In an interview with FMT, popular blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin reveals why he has decided to vent his frustrations against Pakatan Rakyat to the mainstream media.

FMT Video edited by Arvind Raj

Megaupload Data Could Be Erased This Week

2012-01-31T22:55:00.001+08:00

All the data on Megaupload – legal or illegal – could be erased as soon as Thursday, Feb. 2, the Associated Press reports. The file storage website hires outside companies – Carpathia Hosting Inc. and Cogent Communications Group Inc – to store its users’ data.

Since Megaupload’s assets have been frozen, the service cannot pay the hosting companies to keep hosting the data. According to a letter by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, filed in the case Friday, Jan 27, they could begin deleting data Thursday.

Megaupload attorney Ira Rothken says the company is doing what it can to try to keep the data from being deleted. “We’re cautiously optimistic at this point that because the United States, as well as Megaupload, should have a common desire to protect consumers, that this type of agreement will get done,” he said.

If the data is indeed erased, it will be very bad news for some 50 million people who’ve used Megaupload’s services, many of them legally.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted seven people and two companies which ran Megaupload earlier in January. The site’s founder Kim Dotcom (a.k.a. Kim Schmitz) and six others are accused of making $175 and causing $500 million in copyright infringement.

If they’re found guilty in what the indictment calls a “Mega Conspiracy”, the accused could go to prison for a maximum of 20 years.

[via AP]

60% OFF: iPhone 4 / 4S Silicon Horn Stand Speaker + Lizard Sticky Pad

2012-01-31T22:35:00.000+08:00

You never need a reason to crank up your music, especially not when you've got a speaker as cute and convenient as the Silicon iPhone 4 / 4S Horn Stand Speaker.

It doesn't matter if you're listening to music or watching videos, this stand supports your iPhone 4 / 4S both vertically and horizontally so you wouldn't have to tired your arms out holding on to your phone.

Not to mention, it amplifies volume by 13dB, has no moving parts and does not require batteries, which makes it the perfect accessory for picnics in the park or long road trips in your brother's beat up car with the stolen radio or Sunday afternoons spend lazing away in bed....Continue reading...

Wanna buy this?

'Assad, you'll die like Gaddafi': Rebels want off with Syria head

2012-01-31T22:30:00.001+08:00

Syria's opposition have made a chilling pledge to the country's leader. They have vowed President Bashar Al Assad and his family will be killed like Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi, saying he's lost the chance of a peaceful exit.

Fierce battles between government forces and rebel fighters are raging on the outskirts of the capital Damascus. RT's Sara Firth is in the city now.

Unemployment and Jordan's youth

2012-01-31T22:28:00.001+08:00

Jordan's unemployment rate is officially 15 per cent, but the problem is much worse among young people: Nearly one in three is jobless.
Al Jazeera's Nisreen El Shamayleh reports from Amman.

East Timor's Ramos-Horta to seek second term as president

2012-01-31T22:25:00.003+08:00

East Timor president and Nobel Peace Laureate, Jose Ramos-Horta is to seek another five-year term in March elections. About 10 presidential hopefuls have now entered the race.

The poll comes as UN peacekeepers, prepare to withdraw from the country where they have been stationed since 1999's vote for independence from Indonesia.

PKR gives MACC two weeks to act against NFC head

2012-01-31T22:24:00.001+08:00

PKR has given the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) two weeks to arrest and charge National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) chairperson Mohamad Salleh Ismail over a bribery allegation.

Failing this, the opposition party has threatened to pressure the government to set up a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into the possibility that the MACC is protecting NFC. http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/187902